"Waiting for God's Tomorrow" during the Second Week of Advent

We began the Year of Consecrated Life last week by introducing Rejoice, a letter to consecrated men and women based on the teachings of Pope Francis. This week, we draw from the same letter, this time quoting Pope Francis from his celebration of Vespers with the Community of Camaldolese Benedictine Nuns in November 2013.  Its Marian theme is especially timely during this week in which we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and its "waiting" theme is especially timely during this second week of Advent.

"At the foot of the cross, Mary is at the same time the woman of sorrow and of watchful expectation of a mystery far greater than sorrow, which is about to be fulfilled.  It seemed that everything had come to an end; every hope could be said to have been extinguished. She too, at that moment, remembering the promises of the Annunciation could have said: They did not come true, I was deceived.  But she did not say this.  And so she who was blessed because she believe, sees blossom from her faith a new future and awaits God's tomorrow with expectation.  At times I think: Do we know how to wait for God's tomorrow?  Or do we want it today?  For her the tomorrow of God is the dawn of Easter morning, the dawn of the first day of the week.  It would do us good to think, in contemplation, of the embrace of mother and son.  The single lamp lit at the tomb of Jesus is the hope of the mother, which in that moment is the hope of all humanity.  I ask myself and I ask you: Is this lamp still alight in monasteries?  In your monasteries are you waiting for God's tomorrow?"